MONDOmagazine

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

U is for The Ultimates Vol. 1 & 2
Written by Mark Millar
Art by Bryan Hitch
Marvel Comics, 2002

The Ultimates is the Avengers Redux.  When Marvel launched Ultimate Spider-Man ten years ago, they were seeking to modernize the hero, hoping to make it possible for new, younger readers to connect with the character.  And so, the Ultimate Universe was born.   Marvel quickly followed up their Spider-Man title with the Ultimate X-Men and the Ultimate Fantastic Four — each group redesigned to be more in tune with the 21st century, and not burdened with decades of continuity.  The Ultimates is no different.  Except, it’s mad brilliant.  It’s a team of super-powered heroes brought together by SHIELD to protect America’s interest in the burgeoning age of super-humans.  Ask yourself what would the American government, circa 2002, have done if it could deploy Captain America, Iron Man and Thor?  The answer is The Ultimates. Read the rest of this entry »

The Alpha Review
By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

T is for Thunderbolts Vol. 1: Faith in Monsters
Written by Warren Ellis
Art by Mike Deodato Jr.
Marvel Comics, 2008

The Civil War has just ended; Iron Man runs S.H.I.E.L.D; and supervillains now police America, hunting heroes who refuse to register with the government. Read the rest of this entry »

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

R is for Runaways Vol. 1: Pride and Joy
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Adrian Alphona
Marvel Comics, 2005

Remember being a teenager?  Remember fighting with your parents, bucking authority, and hanging with your friends all day?  How about in the Marvel Universe?  Runaways starts with a group of teenagers discovering that their parents are a society of super-villains.  With their world turned up side down, these kids — who barely know each other — have to band together to survive.

Collecting Runaways can be a little confusing because there have been numerous collections released. First, Runaways was released in smaller-sized digest format directed at the anime market. Then, regular-sized hardcovers collecting two or three of the digests were released, and now regular-sized hardcovers that collect individual digests are being released.

On top of that, in terms of issues, there have been three Runaways #1 released, as the series keeps getting relaunched. In issue form, volume one ran for 18 issues, all written by Vaughan with the majority of it drawn by Alphona; a second volume ran for 30 issues, the first 24 by Vaughan and Alphona and the last six by Joss Whedon and Michael Ryan; the third volume is currently ongoing and was relauched with Strangers in Paradise writer Terry Moore and Humberto Ramos on art. Sound confusing?  It is. The plot itself is easy to follow though, and wonderfully done, but woe unto the reader that stumbles into this story midway through.

Brian K. Vaughan is one of the biggest names in comics now, and as he branches out into writing for LOST, his star is only going to keep rising.  Yet, when I picked up the first volume, I had no idea who he was, and enjoyed the story purely on its own merits — and there are many. Vaughan always seems to have the best artists rendering his writing, and Runaways is no exception.  Adrian Alphona has clean, yet charged pencil lines, and brings a sense of youth and action to the comic.  He defined the characters for me, and the first seven volumes with him and Vaughan are fantastic reads — a treat both for the eyes and the mind.  Alphona is credited as co-creating the Runaways, and he highlights the physical identity, nuanced facial expressions, and individual styles of the kids.  You root for the characters in Runaways — their failures, crushing; their victories, inspiring.

The best part of Runaways, though it applies less to the first volume than later ones, is how carefully the book threads its way through the Marvel Universe.  Truly a comic about the tribulations and insecurities of adolescence, the series does involve other Marvel characters, but only sparingly.  A classic moment is when Captain America, Wolverine and the rest of the Avengers appear — and their depiction is seen through the eyes of rebellious teenagers.  Even if you have no former experience with the Marvel Universe, Runaways works on as a stand-alone series, and you can still  thoroughly enjoy this title.

One quick warning, though.  Do not, under any circumstances, read the two Runaways/Young Avengers team-ups.  These are stand-alone TPBs, taking place during the “Civil War” and the “Secret Invasion” crossovers.  While the Young Avengers mini-series was awesome, and Runaways is brilliant, these two crossover trade paperbacks are so horrible that they have you wondering why you liked the original series to begin with.

Runaways Vol. 1: Pride and Joy is a great read — easily accessible for older fans who want a break from the doom and gloom in the Marvel Universe, and for younger readers who want a series that speaks more directly to them.  Start with Pride and Joy, and you will discover a title that reads and feels like comic from the 60s — filled with fun and action — yet is definitely set in our world today

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades – at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

Q is for Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol. 1
Written by Greg Rucka
Art by Steve Rolston, Brian Hurtt, Leandro Fernandez, Christine Norrie, Bryan Lee O’Malley & Stan Sakai
Oni Press, 2007

Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol. 1is probably the best money-to-content TPB on the market.  Collecting the first three regular TPBs, now out of print, it runs 376 pages, which makes it quite economical — twelve issues for the same cost of most other TPBs.  The Queen & Country series examines the world of British secret agents — specifically SIS (MI6) — and takes place in the modern era.  These are normal people who are fighting against terrorism, petty dictators, and their conscience in an effort to protect lives.  Each of the three TPBs collected in the Definitive Edition has its own artist, and as such, the illustrations range from the slightly cartoonish style of Steve Rolston to the dark and distorted pencils of Leandro Fernandez.  This is not the spy world of James Bond-of-old, though the latest two movies featuring Daniel Craig are close in theme to the comic.  The characters in Queen & Country are human and flawed, and it is through them that you become embroiled in the story.

Greg Rucka is a fantastic writer, and Queen & Country stands as some of his best work.  It’s his characters and dialogue that keeps the world of Queen & Country consistent as the artist change.  In some respects, reading the Definitive Edition felt more like reading a novel than a comic book. And certainly, if it were not for Rucka’s story pacing, the page count would be a possible deterrent.

Queen & Country is told primarily through Tara Chace, known as Minder Two, who is one of three special agents.  The story often switches to her superiors or peers, as they fulfill their own duties. Threats come from within SIS as well, as interdepartment rivalries and political agendas are just as dangerous as the high-risk operations the Minders undertake.

The artists in Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol.1 change with each operation — or previously published TPBs — and while none of them are bad, I certainly had my favourite.  The first two artists, Steve Rolston and Brian Hurtt, have a similar style — one I would call “ordinary people.”  This is not to say that they aren’t accomplished illustrators, but that rather, their characters are neither ripped with muscles nor taking overly exaggerated poses that are common to more “super-heroic” art.  Through their art you believe this is your world, albeit seen from the shadows.  Of the two, Steve Rolston is slightly more cartoonish, with rounded faces and very simple and light pencil lines.  Brian Hurtt adds more darkness and edge to the comic, but still keeps it very realistic.  Then you reach the third TPB, or story, collected in this edition, and Leandro Fernandez changes everything.  His characters are edgy with slightly distorted figures.  His style blends some hyperrealism into the world, and though it was a little jarring to see Chace dressing in sexier clothes and showing some midriff, especially after the first two artists, you can’t help but love his characters’ faces and how expressive they can be.  Leandro Fernandez adds a whole new layer to Queen & Country, and the art on the pages goes from keeping-it-real-world to dark and dangerous.  A good change.

Queen & Country Definitive Edition Vol. 1 is best enjoyed by those looking for a different pace from the standard super-hero comic fare, or by those who read titles like Criminal, 100 Bullets, or White Out (another Greg Rucka comic).  I would also compare it to Powers or Alias, though without the super-human elements.  This is a comic about spies and secret agents living in a morally ambiguous world, where they fight against threats that are all too realistic; these stories seem like they are only one step away from our own lives.  At a great price for the amount of comics contained, this is one lesser-known title worth trying out.

Dr. Strange: The Oath
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Art by Marcos Martin
Colours by Javier Rodriguez
Marvel Comics, 2007

By Miles Baker

Just before Brian K. Vaughan swore off work-for-hire comic writing and dedicating his time to LOST, and before Marcos Martin rocketed to prominence for his work on Amazing Spider-Man, the pair created one of my favourite comic series.

Dr. Strange: The Oath follows a particularly stressful couple of days in Dr. Stephen Strange’s odd life. After Strange’s assistant, Wong, reveals that he has terminal cancer, the pair go in search of a magical solution and eventually find it: the cure for cancer. However, before they can use it, the pair are robbed of the cure by a new foe who shoots Dr. Strange with Hitler’s handgun. Strange and Wong seek medical attention from the Night Nurse, a GP who gives medical aid to the superhero community. Still recovering from his gunshot, Strange, along with Wong and the Night Nurse, hunt down the cure.

And that’s just the first issue.

I don’t have the words to express how much I enjoy and respect Marcos Martin’s storytelling. Martin thinks harder than most other artists; he makes subtle but effective choices that make you love his work even more, because you really only noticed them the third time around. Choices such as, when Dr. Strange enters other realms, all the panels sit on top of a main image; or Dr. Strange’s flashbacks have rounded corners to them, while Wong’s are square, and Nicodemus’s are arranged in a semi-oval. Or where he inserts a musical note as a transition. These are small touches, but they add up to so much more. 

I even love his enormous gutters because they free the page. As you can see, I’m a man in love.

See, a Doctor-turned-magician can be bad ass.

Vaughan is one of my favourite writers. Period. I have a serious man-crush on his writing, and this work solidifies those feelings. His version of Strange might differ from other characterizations, but I like it a lot. He’s smart, with a wry sense of humour, and feels totally at home living outside the normal laws of man. One of my favourite exchanges is:

Night Nurse: Wait, you’re going to lock him inside his own mind? What about, you know, due process?
Strange: Sorcerers have little patience for the laws of nature and even less for the laws of man.

It’s a nice little touch of dark on Strange, a man that you should feel you can’t get behind, but at times do anyway. One of my favourite moments —where I get all, “I love you, Strange” — occurs when he turns a handgun into moths while saying, “Ghastly. Last time I touch one of those things.” 

If a genie ever grants me wishes, it would be more Dr. Strange stories with this pair at the helm. Or maybe I could make a deal with Mephisto. Either way, more please.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks – a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel – are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades – at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

P is for Preacher: Gone to Texas
Written by Garth Ennis
Art by Steve Dillon
Vertigo, 1996

Preacher is a “love it” or “leave it” comic. Both elegant in the simplicity of its story and completely over the top in its depiction, Preacher is the type of comic that appeals to non-superhero readers. Published by DC Comics, the series is already finished, but instead of being relegated to discount bins, new readers continue to discover the title, and then race through the nine volumes.  Preacher is definitely for mature readers because of both the themes woven into the comic, and the gruesome and explicit subject matter on the page.  Preacher works so well, not because of its plot, its art, or its dialogue, though these are all excellent, but due to the characters in the series.  Though you might recoil from their actions, Garth Ennis holds a mirror to our darker aspects and then explores these emotions and drives carefully as the story moves along.

The premise of Preacher is relatively simple, if not “normal.”  A disillusioned minister, Reverend Jesse Custer, is imbued with the word of God, which allows him to command anyone that he speaks to.  He is accompanied by his ex-lover Tulip, who is trying to escape her past, and the Irish vampire Cassidy.  They are hunted by the Saint of Killers and The Grail, a secret organization that seeks to protect the bloodline of Jesus.  As the volumes progress, a number of other characters join the cast, and more is revealed about Jesse’s power and the conflict in Heaven.  While the world of Preacher is inhabited by angels, vampires, and other supernatural beings, what makes the comic so interesting is how human and flawed the characters are.  The reader can connect to and be invested in characters that in any other comic or medium would be reviled and dismissed.  Garth Ennis makes you believe that his characters could be real people, eking out their lives in the midst of a heavenly power struggle.  Steve Dillon’s art completes Ennis’ realistic approach – his characters are not buffed heroes out of uniforms, but ordinary people that you might see on any street corner.  Don’t let this fool you though, Dillon delivers all the gore and carnage that Ennis has in his scripts, and Preacher is quite explicit in its violence.

As Preacher was originally started in 1995, and the first TPB collected in 1996, most long-time readers were familiar with its creative team before they moved on to later titles, such as The Punisher MAX series.  Not so in my case.  I discovered Garth Ennis through his writing on The Boys, and have moved backwards through his material.  I have enjoyed all of Garth Ennis’ work so far encountered, and if you are either a fan of The Boys or Preacher, you should certainly take a glance at the other title, as they share many similarities without being a copy of the other.  On the other hand, while I enjoy Steve Dillon’s art on more “natural” or “ordinary” characters, I find his work leaves me cold when he depicts superheroes, as in Wolverine: Origins.  All creators have their strengths and weaknesses, and while Dillon’s work sells me on the characters in Preacher, adding realism to what could be a purely horror-supernatural comic (which it is not), it is that same realism that keeps me from enjoying his art on more mainstream superhero comics.

Preacher: Gone to Texas is a fantastic TPB, drawing the reader into its character’s lives, while smacking you in the face with its action and violence.  Not for the faint hearted, this is the perfect read if you want to escape from the world of Super-Spider-Iron-Always-Good heroes.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

O is for The Other Side
Written by Jason Aaron
Art by Cameron Stewart
Vertigo, 2007

The Other Side is a stand-alone trade paperback that details the Vietnam War.  When released, it was hailed for its realistic treatment of both the American and Vietnamese perspectives. The TPB also received positive reviews for its detailed and well researched art. Cameron Stewart, the illustrator, travelled to Vietnam to better understand the world he was depicting.

A hard biting account of two combatants — one an American, the other a North Vietnamese man — it neither glorifies warfare of any kind, nor diminishes the sacrifices made by those fighting.  Both the writing and art are superb, and this TPB is worth reading, especially as we find our world embroiled in similar conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Be warned though, this book deserves its “Suggested for Mature Readers” caution.

Jason Aaron is related to Corporal Gustav Hasford — the accomplished writer who penned the novel The Short-Timers, which was later adapted by Stanley Kubrick into Full Metal Jacket.  While this familial connection does not imbue him with a default grasp of Vietnam and its experiences, it certainly must have made Aaron more sensitive to the complexities of writing about this particular war.

The Vietnam War invokes a myriad of opinions, from both those that fought in it, and those that opposed the conflict back in America.  What Jason Aaron captures perfectly in The Other Side is that regardless of one’s personal beliefs about this war, the experiences of those involved were neither erased, nor eased, when the conflict ended.  For the soldiers fighting, the ideological or political arguments about the war were meaningless when compared to the reality of their environment, and trying to survive through their tour of duty. Aaron compares and contrasts the experience of an American draftee and a North Vietnamese “volunteer.” From basic training to the end of their participation in the conflict, these two men, from such different backgrounds, are united in a struggle which threatens to annihilate more than just their physical selves. Regardless of how these two men find themselves drawn into the war, the cost of surviving is equally horrific, and it is the examination of the psychological strain and erosion that these men must face and overcome that makes the TPB so compelling.

Cameron Stewart’s art is amazing — though it seems strange to say so.  What is depicted on the page is often disturbing and unsettling, and it is easy to pass over the quality of his work, and instead be repulsed by the events and experiences that he is illustrating.  Cameron’s travel journal through Vietnam is included at the back of the book and it highlights what is evident from the first page: both writer and artist went to great lengths to create a powerful and accurate story.

The Other Side is a gripping read, and its message is particularly poignant, not just as a remembrance of Vietnam, but as an appreciation for what all combatants must grapple with as they seek to find their way home.  As the story makes clear with its last page, it’s not just about surviving the conflict, but dealing with what comes after that is so hard.

That's very naked.

Girls: Conception (Volume 1)
By the Luna Brothers
Image Comics, 2007
By Sandra Yao

Girls was the comic that started me on a path of unbridled comic reading. It could be viewed as an interesting take on female empowerment or just another excuse to have naked women run around all over the pages. Either way, it’ll definitely keep you reading.

In the first volume, appropriately named Conception, we meet the main character, Ethan, masturbating (how all good stories begin). He’s got girl problems that stem from an ex he just can’t seem to forget.  Drinking at a bar after work, he shows his complete frustration with women by engaging in an angry outburst aimed at almost every female within range. Accused of being out of line and borderline misogynistic, he’s forcibly removed by the sheriff. Furious and fed-up, he shouts as the glass shatters around him leaving many of the townsfolk in awe. In a panic, Ethan quickly jumps into his car and drives away. Thinking things could not get any worse, he nearly runs over a woman walking down the middle of the highway. She’s naked and lost. He takes her home, and well, I’m sure you can imagine what happens next. Fast-forward to the next morning, and the mysterious girl is laying eggs in the middle of Ethan’s bathroom. If he once thought girls were trouble, he didn’t even know the half of it.

The Luna Brothers form a great team of writer and artist. Joshua creates characters like Ethan that are likeable and easy to sympathize with even at their worst, but he also creates others whom you try hard to like but ultimately just want to slap. You also quickly start to get a feel for who the town bitch is, who the town bicycle is, and who the village idiot is. It’s the variety of archetypes that Joshua tries to portray that really helps to emphasize the small-town atmosphere appropriate to the setting of the story. The small-town setting is often used in the sci-fi genre, but this one thrives with its own unique twist.

Jonathan’s art and colouring is very much like his previous work in Ultra, the book he worked on with his brother before Girls (the pair are currently working on The Sword too). He utilizes round, clean, and thin lines and limited colours, but this helps set the eerie, barren tone. I can’t say that I was blown away by the art, but it looks like it could translate to the silver screen well: backgrounds are blurred to show movement but also to draw attention. The expressions on each of the characters are simple yet emotive. The art compliments the story and the dialogue, allowing the voice of Girls to speak for itself. Essentially, it wasn’t about the art (at least not for me): it was about the story that Girls was trying to tell.

Like I said before, this book keeps you guessing. I felt like I was watching an episode of LOST except without the island or the plane crash and with more small town and egg-laying. But, like with LOST, you start with these big questions about what’s going on, and even though they get answered, you’re never given the whole truth, so you’re always left hanging. It’s that constant search for answers that keeps you watching LOST, and that same search keeps you reading Girls. Girls is definitely worth the read. Even if you don’t appreciate the story, at least there are naked women-scary naked women.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

N is for New Avengers Vol. 1: Breakout
Written by Brian Michael Bendis
Art by David Finch
Marvel Comics, 2006

The Avengers have never been hotter, and this is the trade paperback that relaunched the team. Brian Michael Bendis is the architect behind this year’s blockbuster Secret Invasion, and all the threads and clues start in this book. Superbly written, with unbelievable art, the first volume of New Avengers presents a revised line-up of team members, and the title has continued to deliver to date.

The Avengers has always been about threats that were beyond the abilities of individual heroes, and this comic doesn’t skimp. The New Avengers Vol. 1: Breakout offers a very new, very dynamic line-up, with staples Captain America and Iron Man as the foundations of the team. Joining are fan favourites such as Spider-Man and Wolverine, with Luke Cage and Spider-Woman rounding out the group. My only complaint with this title has been the addition of Sentry — who I have never enjoyed, as he seems like a Superman knock-off. This TPB is a great read, but has been elevated even higher by the events of Secret Invasion, where Bendis finally gives us the answers to all of the questions started here.

The basic plot involves a massive breakout from the Raft, a SHIELD super-human prison. A few of the characters are on hand at the time, and more arrive to stem the escape. By the end of the fight, which is spectacular, there is a growing recognition that the world needs another Avengers group, and so the New Avengers are born. The latter half of the first TPB has the characters going to the Savage Land, following up clues from the breakout. This second half confused fans for a long time and many wondered if Bendis had just forgotten about these plot threads. Fear not, all is revealed in the Secret Invasion crossover with the current New and Mighty Avengers titles.

I will admit that I have always been an Avengers fan, but the comic has often taken second place to the X-titles in Marvel’s line-up. No more. This book, and the TPBs that follow, are both creative and visual treats, and the payoff has been huge. Whether you have been following Secret Invasion this summer and want to know more, or are just an Avengers fan, and had lost faith previously, this is the place to start reading.

Bendis has done a superb job on weaving major events and a myriad of sub-plots together. It has certainly helped that he has been writing both the New and Mighty Avengers books. If you are wondering where the Mighty Avengers come from, they spin out of the New Avengers title right after the Civil War TPB — so you have a ways to go.

Click to be intrigued

David Finch is a very gifted artist, and each page has the feel of one of his variant covers — tons of detail and action. Unfortunately, he does not continue on the New Avengers title much longer, switching in and out with other artists until Leinil Yu takes over. Still, I have enjoyed all the art in the New Avengers run — though I have heard that either you love or hate Yu’s work, which appears in Volume 5.

New Avengers Vol. 1: Breakout is a fantastic read — both for the story and the art. The New Avengers title is a major pillar for the Marvel Universe, and if you aren’t reading it, you are certainly missing out. That, and if you are budget conscious, this book offers you the chance to see all your major heroes for one low price. Pick it up, and see where Bendis started seeding Secret Invasion.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

Madame Mirage has a bundunkadunk

M is for Madame Mirage
Written by Paul Dini
Art by Kenneth Rocafort
Top Cow, 2008

Madame Mirage collects the six issues of the mini-series that came out over the past year.  A largely unknown book, it was a personal favourite of mine when originally published.  Unfortunately, the back issues are a little difficult to find, but the recently released TPB is a second chance to read this great comic. 

Set in a world of high-technology, corporate super-humans, and criminal organizations, it stars Madame Mirage, an illusionist set on bringing down the evil organization that robbed her of her family.  There is far more to the character than it seems as first, and both the back story and plot revelations explaining her powers are well thought-out, and wonderfully done.  Mix a great storyline with stunning pencils that convey the grittiness of the world, yet include touches of cheesecake art, and you have a great comic.

Created and written by Paul Dini, Madame Mirage is both the story of a woman bent on revenge, and a finely-layered series of plots that, as each is peeled back, make the starting premise so much more enjoyable.  Most famous for his work on the Batman and Superman Animated Series, Dini has said that the title character was inspired by his wife.  Certainly, the depth of writing reflects a deep passion for the character.  Kenneth Rocafort’s pencils are what initially drew me to the series.  Rocafort has done work for Top Cow before, penciling Hunter-Killer, and is now working on Broken Trinity.  It’s Rocafort’s pencils that make you believe in Madame Mirage’s “magic”, and the panel layouts on each page are easy to read, yet incredibly dynamic and forceful.  He also brings a little cheesecake to his women, penciling these stunningly sexy heroes and villains.  Madame Mirage works both as a book and as a character because of Rocafort’s art.

The Madame Mirage TPB collects the run in its entirety, though there are rumors of the team doing a second six-issue mini-arc.  What really makes the book work, apart from compelling characters, well-layered plots, and fantastic art, is that the story seems grounded in the “real world.”  The idea behind the heroes is that they are “created” through technology and bio-engineering, whereas the backbone of the plot is an exploration of what corporations would do if they had access to this technology.  In a way, this is our world, shunted a dozen years into the future.  The only other book I can compare it to, in this regard, is War Heroes by Mark Millar and Tony Harris.  Pick up a copy of Madame Mirage; between the story and the art, you are bound to enjoy it.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

L is for Loki
Written by Robert Rodi
Art by Esad Ribic
Marvel, 2007

Loki is a fabulous trade paperback that collects a largely unknown four-issue miniseries of the same name. Set outside Thor continuity, or possibly in a near future, this TPB features a wickedly good story and lushly painted art, which combine for a fantastic read. The premise is simple: Asgard has fallen, Thor is defeated, and Loki is the victor. The story is told from Loki’s perspective, as he goes about settling old scores and tormenting his captives. What makes this story unique, apart from its grand artistic style, is that we finally understand Loki’s side of the age old conflict between him and Thor. The TPB doesn’t paint Loki as a hero, or even as a particularly sympathetic character, but instead the reader comes to understand that there are two sides to every tale — and this is Loki’s.

While I am sure someone will roll their eyes at my ignorance, Robert Rodi and Esad Ribic are largely unknown to me. After a little digging, I realized that I have seen and enjoyed Ribic’s art before — he has worked on Wolverine, and Silver Surfer: Requiem. His painted style is immediately recognizable. It is his artistic touch that makes you forget that you are reading a comic, and instead feel as though you are witnessing an ancient epic playing out before your eyes. Pages seem like stretched canvases, and every panel can be enjoyed as a piece of art wholly separate from the story. This is not to say that the writing is slack. Robert Rodi has done work for DC, Vertigo, and Marvel, and while I have only a passing familiarity with some of his past material, this TPB reads — the dialogue, the plot twists, the characters — every bit as epically as the art on the page.  Rodi doesn’t make Loki the misunderstood hero, or even a villain trying to do good for once, but rather tells Loki’s tale, and lets you the reader judge how he has been treated by Thor and his fellows. You come to realize that while Loki is wholeheartedly a villain, Thor, Sif, and Balder are not the heroes and paragons of virtue that they are often depicted as — everyone has their flaws, including those we normally think of as the good guys.  It is not a long TPB, and the pacing is excellent, making for a relatively quick but very enjoyable read.

Lack of exposure and in-continuity impact has hurt this book, and it is a hidden gem in the comic store.  For those who get tired of trying to fit all of the continuity pieces together, this TPB makes for an excellent break from Marvel’s normal line-up.  Still, the characters are instantly identifiable as Marvel’s Loki and Thor, making it easy to get into.  Combining the pacing and fun of a comic book, with the epic nature of Norse mythology, you can’t go wrong if you read Loki.

The Alpha Review

By Andrew Uys

I’ve heard that trade paperbacks — a run of comic issues collected into a graphic novel — are all the rage today. But which ones are worth your time? This column aims to put the spotlight on the spectacular trades — at least according to this writer. And just for fun, we will start with the letter “A,” and each subsequent review will follow with the next letter of the alphabet. While you might object to my taste or my opinion, I hope that this column will help save you time and money when you are next buying a trade paperback, as well as effort in alphabetizing.

K is for Kingdom Come.
Written by Mark Waid
Art by Alex Ross
DC Comics, 1997

Arguably one of the best comic stories ever, this trade collects the hard-to-find, four issue miniseries of the same name that was published back in 1996. For many, Kingdom Come introduced them to Alex Ross’ spectacular artwork. Actually, it was this book, and one other, that drew me back into comics. If you are looking for a book to restore your faith and wonder in comics, this is it. Combining a dramatic story, superb dialogue, and dazzling art, it’s no surprise that Kingdom Come is constantly in print and has an “Absolute Hardcover Edition,” which, besides having original-size artwork, contains fantastic character sketches from Alex Ross amongst its many extras. The trade will also soon be released as a new TPB edition, with a brand new cover (even better than the original) by Alex Ross, and some hush-hush extras. Though I hate to admit it, I will probably pick it up for the new cover alone.

Before I go into further detail about the plot and art of Kingdom Come, I want to highlight one of the book’s main strengths. When I originally read comics, I was a Marvel fan and, apart from enjoying Batman, never had much time for the DC Universe. Reading this book, after a long time away from comics, I was reminded of what good storytelling can do for characters that too often seem to be trapped by their own continuity.

Set in the future of the DC Universe, Kingdom Come unfolds through the eyes of Norman McCay, a preacher who is losing his faith in the world around him. The heroes of our era have died or retired, and a new breed of hero has risen to take their place. More concerned with battling villains than protecting innocents or upholding the law, they are feared by a public who has seen these beings casually wield immense power. As Superman is pulled out of his self-imposed retirement, factions draw together, each seeking to mold the future of the world. Superman sets about creating a new team that will police the errant heroes, forcing them to either uphold his values or be imprisoned such that they can no longer endanger innocent lives. Set against him is Batman, a man who is shattered from his former battles and yet has an undiminished mind and sense of strategy. Batman creates his own organization, which will not stand for Superman’s imposed order. Finally, slithering in the shadows, are the villains of old, who seek to turn the situation to their advantage. As all the factions battle against one another, Norman McCay’s visions of an apocalyptic battle become more frequent, and he fears that no one will have the strength and determination to prevent the world from being consumed by nuclear fire. To say anymore would ruin the story, but the climatic ending delivers on the powerful rise in action.

As I have already said, the plot and dialogue for this story are amazing, only topped by Alex Ross’ incredible art. Famous for his “human” hero style of art, Ross redesigned many of the heroes’ familiar costumes, and half the fun of reading the collection is figuring out what has become of “our” heroes, and what they, or their descendants, look and act like now. Ross’ art brings a sense of realism and humanity to a story that might otherwise seem too over-the-top and grandiose. The extras found in the Absolute Hardcover are so enjoyable because you can witness Alex’s early designs and inspirations for these characters, along with a guide to who is who. Absolutely the best story that money can buy, this book is relatively cheap in the regular format TPB. Even those who don’t normally enjoy DC or Alex Ross have raved to me about this book after I have recommended it. Groundbreaking when it came out, it is a classic now and a total must read.